Baby Blue Salad with Fresh Pears
This is a delightful salad that goes well with pork or chicken.
Prep Time:
Cook Time:
Total Time:
Ingredients:
| for the salad: | |
| 2 (5-ounce) packages | gourmet mixed salad greens |
| 2 | large bartlett pears, cut into thin slices |
| 1 quart | strawberries, quartered |
| 4 ounces | blue cheese, crumbled |
| sweet-and-spicy pecans: | |
| 1/4 cup | sugar |
| 1 cup | warm water |
| 1 cup | pecan halves |
| 2 tablespoons | sugar |
| 1 tablespoon | chili powder |
| 1/8 teaspoon | ground red pepper |
| balsamic vinaigrette: | |
| 1/2 cup | balsamic vinegar |
| 3 tablespoons | Dijon style mustard |
| 3 tablespoons | honey |
| 2 | garlic cloves, minced |
| 2 | small shallots, minced |
| 1/4 teaspoon | salt |
| 1/4 teaspoon | pepper |
| 1 cup | olive oil |
Directions:
Prepare the Sweet-and-Spicy Pecans. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Stir together 1/4 cup sugar and warm water until sugar dissolves. Add pecans, and soak 10 minutes. Drain, discarding syrup. Combine 2 Tbsp. sugar, chili powder, and red pepper. Add pecans, tossing to coat. Place pecans on a lightly greased baking sheet. Bake pecans at 350 degrees for 10 minutes or until golden brown, stirring once after 5 minutes.
Prepare the Balsamic Vinaigrette. Whisk together the first 7 ingredients until blended. Gradually add olive oil in a slow, steady stream, whisking constantly until blended.
Assemble the salad by placing the greens on 8 individual serving plates. Top with pears and strawberries. Sprinkle with blue cheese and pecans. Serve with balsamic vinaigrette.
Source: freebiefindingmom.com
